Uni Jetstream Prime 3 Color Ballpoint Multi Pen Review

The latest entry into Uni-ball's ever changing Jetstream multi pen line, the Prime 3 Color Ballpoint is the professionally-styled pen many users have been waiting for. It features the first metal barrel in the lineup and a classic style perfect for the office. But is it worth the premium $45.00 price? Maybe.

There is no denying the design of the Prime is excellent. I chose the two-tone black model and it is sharp looking with chrome accents against the black barrel. The grip is smooth and I had no troubles gripping it but sweaty fingers might pose a problem. The retractable mechanisms are flawless - very responsive and snappy. They pop out one of the three ink colors, all of which are standard D1 refills. That is a big deal because that opens up a wide range of refills to use, like my favorite D1 the Zebra Sharbo X Gel 0.4 mm.

On the downside, the Prime falls victim to what all most barrel multipens have trouble with: Rattling noise while writing. It is almost unavoidable with all of the moving parts. It just depends on how much it bothers you. This pen falls in the middle of the noise category. I've used quieter and louder. What actually bothers me more is the silly faux jewel on the top of the clip. Why it is there I have no clue. This pen has many beautiful Lamy-like design elements going for it then boom! Tacky jewel.

I like the Jetstream Prime a lot but in the end it comes down to a value proposition. If you want the full metal barrel and D1 refill flexibility then it is worth it. If that is not important to you and you just need a good Jetstream writing experience then their less expensive models will suit you just fine. I have reviewed some of them here:

Uni-Ball Jetstream 4+1 0.7mm Ballpoint Multi Pen

Uni-Ball Jetstream 3 Multi-Pen

Uni-Ball Jetstram 3 0.5mm Multi Pen

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Uni-ball Jetstream 0.38 mm Ballpoint Review

I have seen a lot of pens, pencils, and paper in my day, but I am still capable of getting my mind blown and acting giddy like a school child. And unlike my recent several hundred dollar fountain pen purchases, this is for a pen that costs less than $3.00.

Say hello to the Uni-ball Jetstream 0.38 mm Ballpoint.

This pen caught me off guard. Jetstream already had one of the finest-tipped ballpoints on the market in the 0.5 mm (which lays down a line of 0.4 mm or less) so I didn't really see the need, but I am oh so happy they produced this.

My original fear that this pen would be too scratchy to use - a common refrain with the 0.5 mm - was swept away the first time the pen hit the page. It is shockingly smooth, even more so than the 0.5 mm in my mind. It also requires almost no pressure to leave a solid, consistent, skip-free line. There isn't much more I could have asked for.

The 0.38 mm Jetstream is an immediate Top 5 Pen and will take up permanent residence in my daily arsenal of pens.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Uni-ball Jetstream Color Series Ballpoint 0.5 mm Orange Review

It wasn’t but a few weeks ago that I reviewed the 0.5 mm Purple Color Series Jetstream and as I am known to do, I picked up several other colors of the same pen to see how they perform. The Orange Color Series is the latest to be put to the test.

I went with the same 0.5 mm size as the purple to get a feel for how similar sizes compared and I am not as big a fan of the orange as I am the purple. I’m not sure what my expectations were - I’ve reviewed the original Color Ink Series Orange Jetstream in the past and enjoyed it - but the latest version is too light for me. I felt like I had to strain too much to see the ink color. On a related note, I did go to the eye doctor yesterday.

I passed on the Lime Green Color Series because I thought it would be too light. It turns out the orange is in the same boat. The 0.7 mm is probably a better choice for me in this color.

The lyrics in the review are from R.E.M.’s “Sitting Still”. Growing up in the South in the 80’s it was a rite of passage listening to Stipe, Mills, Buck, and Berry and I am passing that along to my kids. The problem is - as with many of Stipe’s lyrics - they are incoherent at best and I have a tough time trying to explain them to my daughter. “Sitting Still” is widely know as the best of the worst of Stipe’s lyrics. Even he admits he has no idea what he is saying.

If you use Rdio, listen to the live version found on “Live At The Olympia”. Stipe jokes at the end of the song about fans trying to search for lyrics on the internet. I wonder why???